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Tuesday, 27 February 2018

Young
patients swap their wards for labs for behind the scenes visit at Hereford
County Hospital

Two young
patients at Hereford County Hospital got a rare glimpse behind the scenes when
they donned white coats and visited the laboratories and pharmacy manufacturing
team.

In fact,
Alesha and Taya looked so convincing they were almost mistaken for staff
members when, armed with clipboards, they set out to solve a quiz to help them
understand more about what happens in these areas of the hospital.

“Both of them
have undergone intensive chemotherapy and surgery for tumours and wanted to
know more about what happens to their blood samples, where their blood
transfusions come from and how their ‘chemo’ is made,” said Consultant
Paediatrician Simon Meyrick.

“Their visit
to the labs was supported by the Harvey’s Gang charity,” added Simon.
“The charity pays tribute to a young boy, Harvey Buster Baldwin, who was
enthusiastic to understand about his illness and so his local labs in
West-Sussex showed him around when very he was unwell.

“Children in the same situation all over the world have become members of
Harvey’s gang and visit labs in this way, so it was great that the charity
supported Alesha and Taya’s behind the scenes visit at the County Hospital.”Help support Harvey's Gang

During the
visit Alesha and Taya were accompanied by their mums and they were given a
guided tour of the Blood Science Laboratory by Tracy Clarke, Blood Transfusion
Practitioner.

Dr Meyrick (Consultant Paediatrician Oncology), Alesha Brunt

They also saw
the pod system in action – a system of vacuum tubes which criss-cross the
hospital which are used to send important samples to and from the wards and
laboratories very quickly – along with real live blood analysis, chemotherapy
being prepared and they even identified blood cells down a microscope.

They also
needed to be eagle eyed to spot a number of secret penguins dotted around the
laboratories and thoroughly enjoyed the dry ice – “we turned on the tap and the
smoke came out and it was really cold”.

To round off
a busy visit they each received a goody bag and enjoyed a trip to KFC.

“We had a
great time and we’re hoping that other children with cancer and other chronic
conditions will be become members of Harvey’s Gang in the not too distant
future,” said Simon.

Alesha Brunt

Thank you so
much, Lucie Lloyd,

Children’s Community Nurse/ Staff
Nurse Paediatrics

The joy of sharing is ours to enjoy empowering more youngsters by introducing them to Harvey's Gang

Wednesday, 14 February 2018

Six year old
Thomas the first patient at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital to be part
of Harvey’s Gang when he visited their pathology labs with his brother Lewis and
mum Lorraine on 20th December.

Nurse for Paediatric Oncology Claire Harrison says: “I am really excited about
Harvey’s Gang coming to GRH, it is a great opportunity for our patients to see
and understand exactly what happens to their blood every week. It’s also a
great opportunity for me to get to know the staff in our pathology lab who work
so hard in processing the blood samples I take from children and young people
with cancer and leukaemia in Gloucestershire.”

Nikki
Price, Senior Biomedical Scientist commented: “I am so pleased Harvey’s
Gang has started in Gloucestershire. Such an amazing legacy to join that
hopefully will take away the mystery of where blood samples go to and why it is
so important for us to test them. My colleagues and I are really excited to
make a positive difference to children’s experience of hospital visits and I hope
that we pique their interest in science too!”

Thomas’ Mum Lorraine adds: “Thomas
really wanted to visit the lab and meet the people who his blood samples are
sent to. The tour of the labs was great and it’s such a lovely thing to have on
offer for young patients - getting to see him enjoy himself really meant a lot
to me and it helps Thomas too. The staff were all lovely and spent their
valuable time making this a day Thomas and his brother Lewis won't
forget."

The adults in the photo are (l
to r):

Play Specialist, Mum Lorraine
and Claire Harrison

Every year, approximately 1
million blood samples are collected from children for testing in the UK. As
well as being a positive experience for children, the
tours also have a dramatic impact on the scientists at work, reminding them
that every vial of blood they process represents a child or a patient in need
of their help.

As part of his visit William, who has Diamond Blackfan anaemia - a rare bone marrow failure disorder
where the patient fails to make enough red blood cells, had blood samples taken and then took his
sample to the Haematology lab where his journey began.

William, in his Harvey’s Gang lab
coat, watched his sample being processed and was able to see his blood cells
under the microscope, with a little help from the Trust’s Biomedical Scientists. It was then off to the Transfusion
lab where William booked his sample in and could see that the laboratory
records of every transfusion he had received since he was five months old. William
worked with the Transfusion Biomedical Scientists to understand which blood
types were suitable for him, after that William was able to select the units of
blood that would be used for his transfusion.

After the Blood Sciences laboratory tour William went back to the clinic, ready for his
transfusion that he had helped to cross match.

Caroline, William’s mum, said:
“The visit to the
blood labs really made a difference to William’s understanding of the whole
process, he now knows where his bag of blood comes from and he knows where all
his blood results come from and how it happens. This all helps him to
understand his illness and the meaning of certain words that may seem pretty
straight forward to us.

“This means a lot to us as parents as William really struggles to understand
things when explained verbally and it always helps him to see things visually.”

Jennifer Rock, Transfusion
Practitioner at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust: “Harvey’s Gang is a
fantastic initiative and we’re proud to be a part of it here in Leeds. The
visits mean so much to the children and to their parents, it really gives them
a greater understanding of their hospital treatment and what happens behind the
scenes. It also means a great deal to
staff who really enjoy getting to know the patients and their families.”

Fantastic work Leeds, so very proud of the team and the efforts of all, particularly, JenniferBrilliant, thank you all.from Malcolm Robinson